Quote of the Day (May 7, 2011)

Sarah Palin is not unelectable
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Michael van der Galien, at Right Across the Atlantic:

“I would wager to say that Palin has an edge over the other (possible) Republican candidates: she’s a street fighter. Politics is a dirty business – especially these days. A candidate for president has to be able and willing to hit his or her opponents hard; oh, and to absorb blows. Palin has proved herself in this regard. She’s one of the few conservatives with the courage to take the fight to Obama. Of course there’s also Trump, but only the politically disabled take him seriously.”

- JP

Michael van der Galien: Palinism

"She has the truth on her side"
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In recent months Gov. Palin has earned considerable respect from one of her harshest former critics. Michael van der Galien says the more he considers what she has to say and to write, the more impressed he is "by her character, fearlessness, political intelligence and strategy." Though he says it's too early for him to endorse a candidate for president, she's "at, or near" the top of his list. The Dutchman, who majors in American Studies at the University of Groningen, says Sarah Palin is dangerous – to her political opponents.

At Hot Air's Green Room, the former Moderate Voice blogger analyzes the 2008 GOP vice presidential candidate's response to the attacks against her by progressives and their trained media flea circus in the wake of the Tuscon shootings:

It goes without saying that Palin is right. Leftists condemned conservatives in general for the shooting before we even knew the slightest thing about Jared Lee Loughner’s political views. Once more information surfaced about his background, it became clear that he is simply insane. Politics had nothing to do with his terrible crime. Of course that inconvenient fact did not prevent leftists from lashing out at, especially, Palin time and again. They had found a new political weapon, and they were determined to use it for all its worth.

[...]

She fears nothing. When cornered, she lashes out. She plays offense at all times, not just when so-called ‘experts’ think it’s convenient. And big papa grizzlies don’t impress her one bit. She’s determined to protect her cubs – whether they’d be her own career, her ideals, her policy views, her children, or her allies – against all cost. And that’s precisely what makes her so dangerous to the left.

Palin’s distinct approach to politics is “Palinism.” To me, it’s basically a libertarian conservative world view, combined with an aggressive strategy to win elections and shape the general tone of the debate. Although some more careful – and fearful – conservatives may not like it, Palin’s combination is the way forward; at least for her.

[...]

Conservatives need her desperately; other politicos are too afraid of the mainstream media to fight back, but not Palin. Unlike any other conservative politician, she’s able to set the tone of the debate. Even those who are right-of-center and who do not support the governor’s ambitions, have to admit that she has a vital role to play in the conservative movement. To silence her – because you consider her ‘too divisive’ – is not just ludicrous, but potentially dangerous. After all, who else is willing and able to take on the left and its dirty games?

[More]

- JP

Quote of the Day (November 28, 2009)

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Michael van der Galien:

"The more [Tina] Brown et al insult Palin, the more conservatives... will rise up to defend her. Ironically, Leftists are actually uniting the Right by continuing their smear campaign. When push comes to shove, the Left really is the Right’s best friend."

- JP

Palin Power Impresses Moderate Blogger

Sarah Palin is, as we pointed out here, now viewed more favorably by independents than is Vice President Joe Biden. If she can improve her standing among moderates as well, she will have made considerable progress with two key demographic groups. One influential moderate who appears to now look more favorably upon the former governor than in times past is Michael van der Galien, who blogs at PoliGazette. Here are excerpts from his latest post, "Palin Power in Action":

When Governor Sarah Palin endorsed Conservative Party candidate in New York for Congress, she took quite a big risk.

[..]

Hoffman trailed his Republican and Democratic opponents in the polls. Until, that is, Palin announced her support for the conservative New Yorker. Suddenly, Hoffman received a lot of free coverage and a lot of money, because Palin not only used her SarahPAC to donate to his campaign, she also called on her Facebook fans to do the same. The result? Hoffman is now leading in the polls and he suddenly has more funds available than his Republican rival.

[...]

The reason for the sudden support is crystal clear: once Palin endorsed Hoffman, other Republicans could also find the courage to revolt against the official leadership of their party.

Hoffman's turnaround is no small accomplishment for the 2008 GOP vice presidential candidate, says van der Galien. And we agree that it's impressive. Considering the massive resources the NRCC is pouring into the district in support of his liberal Republican opponent, if Hoffman wins the congressional seat, it will be all the more an impressive achievement, thanks in no small part to Sarah Palin.

- JP

Michael van der Galien defends Sarah Palin... again

Okay, so who is this guy, and what have they done with the real Michael van der Galien? 'Scuse us, but it's hard to get used to seeing the PoliGazette blogger defending Sarah Palin instead of trying to bury her. But that's what the Romney supporter has done in a Wednesday post:

It’s becoming more than a little frustrating that leftist magazines, newspapers and news channels continue to go after Governor Sarah Palin as if she was public enemy number one. See here, for instance, Time’s latest article about the governor.

[...]

Time minimizes Palin’s role for one rather obvious reason: “Going Rogue: An American Life” is a major bestseller. If Palin would be credited for its success, she should be taken seriously as a politician, intellectual and as a writer.

The left can’t take Palin seriously. They can’t give her credit for any intellectual achievements. They ridiculed her last year and continue to do so today, knowing that she poses an enormous threat to them and to the party they support. Taking her seriously, treating her with respect means Independent voters may take her seriously as well – it’ll make her an even bigger threat than she already is.

This makes two -- or is it three? -- Palin posts in a row from Michael with nary a put down of the former governor. We still aren't sure whether he has genuinely changed his thinking about the 2008 GOP vice presidential candidate, or if this is some elaborate hoax on his part. He's pretended to be favorably inclined toward Sarah Palin before in one of his blog posts, only to say that it was a ruse and slam her in the comments.

So while we welcome Michael van der Galien's defense of Sarah Palin, we sure would like to hear from him what changed his mind about her, if that is indeed the case. We would like to bottle it and send a vial to each and every moderate we can find. What say you, Michael?

- JP